When clients reach out to us about wanting to improve their energy usage we can't help but do an internal happy dance!
Every step toward reducing your bills is worth celebrating, so when Verity and Graham contacted us regarding their energy consumption and current solar system, we couldn't wait to help them out.

John visited Verity and Grahams home for a Home Energy Consultation where he assessed their energy bills, heating/cooling systems, windows, shading, hot water and pool area.

He also inspected and reported on their current solar panel system where he found that the panels had quite a bit of lichen growing on them. This is a great example of how maintaining and cleaning your panels can result in their performance being improved for next to zero cost.

John's email report was broken down into detailed sections, communicating where energy was currently being used and the best options to reduce power use. This methodical approach allows our clients to clearly see how they can refine their sustainable lifestyle and get the most out of every change. 

We will catch up with Verity and Graham in a few months to see how they're tracking. 

Lee and Cecile contacted Ecological Design when they decided that they wanted a Home Energy Consultation. They were planning a renovation and wanted advice on how to improve the thermal performance of their home.

John met Lee and Cecile on site and provided a detailed analysis of their home and options to improve the overall energy efficiency going forward.

Lee recently got in contact and let us know that his project is still on hold but wanted to share the results of some small changes advised by John.
Lee and Cecile have solar panels and recently switched their gas cooktop to an induction cooktop and their gas hot water heater to heat pump hot water. With these changes, Lee informed us that their last quarterly bill went from $550 to just $10!​

They are understandably thrilled and only expect things to improve as they begin their renovation and implement more of John's advice into their home.

We will check in with them in 6 months to hear about their renovation.

Brian called me to find out about getting an energy audit after his quarterly power bill in their Mosman unit had risen to over  $2,500 per quarter. I conducted a complete audit of all the power usage in the home measuring both the running power usage and the standby power usage of most items, which we then presented in a spreadsheet to show where the power was being used. I also gave Brian  recommendations for the most cost effective ways to reduce his bill by over 50% with little or no change to his lifestyle. 9 months later Brian sent me  his most recent power bill. By following most of our recommendations plus a couple of other measures he had achieved a 75% drop in power compared with the same time 12 months earlier! That's a tremendous result for the environment and his hip pocket. Well done Brian!

Did you know you can collect and store your excess solar power during the day so it’s available to use at night? It can be a great way to maximise your power savings – especially if you use most of your power at night.
 
How it works
If you are a household that currently produces excess solar power, you are probably selling it back to your energy provider at a much lower price than you pay to buy power. However, if you have a solar battery, you can store that excess power to use in the evening instead of buying it from the grid.
 
Solar battery storage technology is advancing quickly with systems becoming more accessible (in terms of price and ease of installation).
 
Solar batteries are particularly beneficial for households who generate excess solar power and have high energy usage at night.
 
Ecological Design offers independent advice on practical ways to reduce your energy usage and carbon footprint. The first step is a Home Energy Audit to discover the best options for your particular needs.
 
It all begins with a conversation so call or email John Caley from Ecological Design on 0418 262 706 or  info@ecologicaldesign.com.au

With energy prices continuing to rise each year, many households are concerned about their power usage. By installing an energy monitor in your home, you can track your energy usage - even when your appliances are in stand-by mode.
 
How it works
There are many different energy monitors available, depending on the functionality you want.
 
All monitors have a sensor installed in your power box and will display your power usage at any given moment either on a dedicated display or on your phone and other devices.
 
Energy monitors are a great diagnostic tool because they give you the information you need to take control of how you use your power. You can see how much power is used by different appliances as they are turned on and see how much standby power is being used when everything is switched off.
 
This information will give you the ability to make informed decisions about ways you can reduce your power bills without compromising your lifestyle.
 
Ecological Design offers independent advice on practical ways to reduce your energy and water usage. The first step is a Home Energy Audit to discover the best options for your particular needs.
 
It all begins with a conversation so call or email John Caley from Ecological Design on 0418 262 706 or  info@ecologicaldesign.com.au

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John Caley will beone of the invited speakers at this event about greening your home, either through retrofitting or as part of a renovation or new build.  28 September 7.15pm at the Nelson Heather Centre, Banksia Room, 5 Jacksons Rd Warriewood. Organised by permaculture northern beaches Details in the flyer below

Our 315 litre 30 evacuated tube solar hot water system produces more than enough hot water for efficient but unrestricted use by the five people in our household throughout most of the year, but last winter we had to turn on the booster for a couple of hours on several days. With the cold season approaching, I decided the evacuated tubes might benefit from a clean as they had not had one in the 5 years since installation. Climbing onto the flat corrugated steel roof where they are installed my suspicions were confirmed.  Despite recent intense torrential rain, the tubes were blotched with sooty deposits - possibly originating from the large Meleuca tree in front of the house.
Luckily cleaning the tubes was easy. I didn't want to use any chemicals because the roof is part of our rainwater system collection area.  Instead I just wiped them clean with a micro-fibre cloth labelled 'glass', rinsing it frequently  in a couple of buckets. The closest three tubes in the photo below have been cleaned. The whole operation took about 20 minutes.
No measure was made of how much improvement was gained by cleaning the tubes but after  I finished I watched with satisfaction as the controller showed the system continuously heating the circulating water by about 10 degrees as it passes through the manifold.  Hooray for showering in solar heated rainwater! 
John